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The Paralympics are always a meaningful showcase of athletes of incredible abilities, and the 2026 games in Milan Cortina were no different! Here’s a look back at the many ways Shirley Ryan AbilityLab celebrated the 2026 Paralympics and the spirit of competition through adaptive sports.
Cheered for Team USA’s Gold-medal Run in Sled Hockey
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Team USA made history at the 2026 Paralympics by winning its fifth-consecutive gold medal in sled hockey. Three players from Team USA — Travis Dodson, Kevin McKee and Brody Roybal — all played for Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s sled hockey team before becoming elite sled hockey players who now compete at the Paralympic level.
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s team, the Chicago Freeze, is supported by the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation. Up-and-coming athletes build new skills on the developmental team, while advanced athletes participate in league and tournament play on the competitive team.
“Sled hockey is a fast-paced, full-contact sport that uses specialized equipment so athletes with a primary physical impairment can participate,” said Derek Daniels, director of adaptive sports and fitness at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. “The sport promotes connection, interaction and camaraderie — and allows athletes to realize their physical potential.”
Dr. Cheri Blauwet Participates in Webinar on Para & Adaptive Sports Medicine
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During the 2026 Paralympics, Cheri Blauwet, MD, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s chief clinical officer and senior vice president, offered her expertise as a featured panelist in a webinar series about the unique needs of athletes in Paralympic and adaptive sports.
The series is programmed by the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM), and Dr. Blauwet was joined by fellow experts from the international adaptive sports medicine community. Her presentation concentrated on concussion in athletes who compete in Paralympic sports — how the experience of concussion can vary, how some commonly used diagnostic tools may not be appropriate for use with Paralympic athletes, and why baseline testing by trusted medical professionals is crucial.
Dr. Blauwet is a seven-time Paralympic medalist herself, representing Team USA in wheelchair racing. Recently, she received the William J. Hybl Paralympic Contributor Award from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Endowment (USOPE), in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and lasting contributions to the Paralympic movement.
Pediatric Patients Meet Paralympic Gold Medalist
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s youngest patients learned how adaptive sports can inspire hope and healing when three-time Paralympian Rico Roman stopped by the Pediatric Innovation Center floor to share more about his experience competing in sled hockey!
Rico’s leg was amputated following a combat-related injury in 2007. During his rehabilitation after experiencing limb loss, he discovered sled hockey and went on to play for Team USA in the Paralympics, winning gold in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
During Rico’s visit to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, patients learned about adaptive sports, checked out Rico’s gold medal and the Paralympic torch, and took a few shots on goal in a sled hockey bucket.
Celebrating Pioneers in Adaptive Sports
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Adaptive sports continue to expand thanks to increased accessibility, technological innovations and equipment, growing awareness … and pioneers like Erica M., who are pushing for more participation and equity in adaptive sports like sled hockey.
Erica was born with sacral agenesis — a congenital disorder in which the lower spine and parts of the legs do not fully develop. However, her condition never kept her from being active.
She discovered sled hockey at age 9, and, at age 18, she made Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s sled hockey team as the only female player and eventual team captain.
Erica went on to found the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team and has become an advocate for equity in the sport. In 2025, after two decades of hard work, she won gold at the first-ever World Para Ice Hockey Women’s Championship.
Erica credits Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s adaptive sports program for making it possible. “These programs change lives,” she said.
Wirtz Cup 2026: A Sled Hockey Face-off Back in Chicago
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As the 2026 Paralympics were getting underway in Milan Cortina, sled hockey players were taking to the ice more than 4,500 miles away at the 2026 Wirtz Cup in Chicago. The Wirtz Cup is the Midwest Sled Hockey League’s two-day championship tournament, a showcase of tremendous regional talent as six teams compete over two days.
“Beyond the competition, the Wirtz Cup is a wonderful reflection of the strong sense of community within sled hockey,” said Kelsey LeFevour, manager, adaptive sports programs at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. “Teams, coaches and families came together, not only on the ice, but off the ice, too.”
Highlights from the Wirtz Cup weekend were a breakfast viewing party for Team USA’s sled hockey matchup against Italy during the Paralympics; a triumphant win by the Northeast Passage team who took home the prized Wirtz Cup trophy, and the well-deserved recognition of Derek Daniels, who serves as head coach of the Chicago Freeze (in addition to his role at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab) and was honored with the Roznowski Legacy Award for his years of dedication to sled hockey.
Adaptive Sports at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
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Shirley Ryan AbilityLab offers Chicago’s most comprehensive adaptive sports program, with year-round competitive and recreational sports opportunities — including sled hockey — for youth and adults living with a physical impairment. Adaptive sports fall under Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s quality-of-life programs, which are not covered by insurance but are offered at no cost or low cost to patients and community members, thanks to the generosity of donors.
